ARCADE BURNED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 588, 17 August 1909, Page 7

ARCADE BURNED.

GREAT BLAZE AT AUCKLAND. SENSATIONAL INCIDENTS. DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT £100,000. (By Tclcsraph.—Proes Association.) ' Auckland, August Iβ. One of tihe most destructive fires that Auckland has 'experienced for years occurred to-night, when the handsomo four-story building in. Queen Street, belonging to Mcssre. Campbell, Elirenfricd, and Co., and known as tho Strand Arcade,, was completely gutted. ■ ■ ■ ■' , .

Tho conflagration, wfoioh did enotmoue damage running into many thousands of pounds sterling, woe witnessed by a vwt crowd of spectators, who throaged in from all quarters, and pressed into tihe nearest places of vantage in dense,swarms. So fiercely did tho outbreak bum that it took the combined city and ■ suburban fire brigades over two hours to quell the flames to an extent tJiat confined the fire within ■the limits of tho building of its origin. ' It was the most fortunato absence of wind that alone saved tho firo from spreading, and even as it was tho Albert and Thistle Hotels, on either side of tho burning Arcade, and the Albert Brewer}', at tho back, had the. narrowest escape iniagjnable. In tho end, however, the really heroio efforts of tho firemen resulted in tho outbreak being subdued, but not before the whole of tho interior had Ijcon reduced to cinders, together" with the "contents of tho numerous shops and offices, of which the, building was constituted. . . Origin of tho Fire. It was just about 8 o'clock when the fire was- first discovered. Aβ far as is known it started in the millinery establishment of tho Misses Waugh and Walker, on the ground floor, adjacent to the staircase, and when discovered had a good hold. That thie wae tho case was Soon evidenced, for within a few moments after the alafin had been given _the flames burst out of the windows of the upper stories and advanced with incredible speed to the roof. Evidently the lift-well and the staircase acted as natural funnels, carrying the flames right up through the build. •ing. '■:■■■ ■ : ' ,- ■ •

. It takes a very.little time for newa of a fire to spread, and this case proved no es-ceptio-n to tho,rule. Queen Street, very shortly afterwards contained a rushing moi of oxcited people eager- to be the first )ipoii the scene. When the shrieking syrea of tho firet fire engine was lietwd theorowd scattered and made way, aad thereafter one detachment of tho brigade after another oarao dashing up, the firemen utjder Superintendent Woolley and Deputy-Superintendent Williams,'springing to their allotted placea with remarkable alacritjv . In less time than it takes to tell ten loads .of hose had been brought to bear oh tho burning building, some in the front and others at ;tllo back and Side*. A Veritable Inferno. By this time the entire (structure was averitable inferno, with tod-hot tongues of flame leaping exultantly forth frofii neatly every window. Hardly had the firemen got settled down to their work, and before they could bo greatly hampered by the evcf-treepaSßiug onlookers; the police had arrived upon tho' scene. Before half an hour had ,gone by Inspector Cullen and Sub-Inspector tfchdry had under the-m practically t&e whole of the local force, including all tho men off duty. . There is no doubt that tho fire had been burning for Borne time before'it was diebovered. Nothing else could account for the rapidity with which it feuvelbped the wholo of tho big building within a few minutes of the .first crash' of glass that signalised tho •bursting of tho flames thrbugk a front winflow. The sky fet miles aroUiid was lit up w v ith a lurid glare. , A little later, as the conflagration took a firmer hold despite the atteams of watef being poured upon it from several directions—• which seemed but puny dribbles from miniatflre squirts in comparison to the blaze that tnocked them—not only Queen Street, but tho thoroughfares for miles around Were illuminated by the dancing flicker of the raging fire fiend. ■ . . . \ Exciting Inoldonts. Early in the progress of tho fire, events d an exaitiug nature commenced to happen. A man who had entered the burning build* ing was out. off by tho fiamee, and stood on the top fire-escape balcony frantically calling for help. Hβ epeotafaxre held tieir breath; and were the witnesses of a thrilling rescue by one M'Pherson, ttho was cheered to tho echo as he Bnatcbed the trapped man (Mr. 'E. Orouon, an indent agent), from his perilous position) and brought him down to safety. .• ,'. .' Thereafter, their' feelings were worked up to concert pitch. The onlookers' found oc-casion-after occasion to raise fresh cheers. Principally they were given .for the intrepid fire-figlitors. -. - : Exciting incidents were tho, falling of vari« ous floors,'which sent up masses of flames, endangering neighbouring buildings. '•■■ There were several casualties, principally among tho helpers, but none of • a very serious nature. ■' t. . ■ K '

The damage is - roughly estimated tkt £100)000. Particulars of insurance were not available to-night. ''•'•

The Mininiax Hand Fire Extinguisher cai be brought into action instantaneously, and can bo used by anyone—man, wohian, or child. TlicEe nvanifest advantages lwvo enabled it to deal effectively with many fires in thdir early stages, and thus property to tlio value of hundreds of- thousands ( of pounds has been rescued from destruction. Great fires have tis a rule small beginnings, and could have been prevented by tho timely action of 'that wonderful littto apparatus known as tho "MiniinaX." Tho agent is A. T. Bate.—Advt.